SAVANNAH, Georgia — Oct. 14, 2016 – The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is pleased to announce honorees, guests and the complete film line-up for the 2016 Savannah Film Festival. Mahershala Ali will receive the Discovery Award, Sam Claflin and Molly Shannon will receive Spotlight Awards, and Miles Teller will receive the Vanguard Award. Held in downtown Savannah, the Festival runs from Saturday, Oct. 22 to Saturday, Oct. 29.

Mahershala Ali will receive the Discovery Award on Friday, Oct. 28. He will participate in a Q&A following the screening of “Moonlight.” Ali can currently be seen starring in Netflix and Marvel Entertainment’s “Luke Cage.” His film credits include “Kicks,” “The Free State of Jones,” “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2,” “The Place Beyond the Pines,” “Go For Sisters,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” His TV credits include “House of Cards,” “The Wronged Man,” The Alphas” and “The 4400." He will next be seen in Theodore Melfi’s “Hidden Figures,” opposite Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, and Kevin Costner.

WGN America will host three panels featuring its hit series during the festival. On Sunday, October 23, WGN America’s “Underground” offers an exclusive first look at season two and a panel discussion with cast members Amirah Vann and Aisha Hinds, executive producer and director Anthony Hemingway, production designer Meghan Rogers and costume designer Karyn Wagner. On Wednesday, October 26, WGN America’s “Outsiders" presents an exclusive first look at the second season with a panel discussion with cast member Christina Jackson, creator and executive producer Peter Mattei and executive producers Peter Tolan and Michael Wimer. On Friday, October 28 WGN America’s “Salem” season three hosts its premiere followed by a Q&A with cast members Shane West and Elise Eberle, and creators and executive producers Brannon Braga and Adam Simon.

The festival, and the competition, provides students with opportunities as unique as the movies on the screen. It’s a chance for SCAD students to exclusively connect with leaders from the entertainment industry through master classes, coffee talks, lectures and panel discussions and a chance for Savannah, a premier film hub, to promote quality movies produced by independent and studio filmmakers.

Tickets and passes are available for purchase online at savannahboxoffice.com, by telephone at 912.525.5050, or in person at the Trustees Theater, located at 216 E. Broughton St., Savannah. Visit filmfest.scad.edu for a complete list of films and screening locations or follow the festival on Facebook and on Twitter @savfilmfest and use the hashtag #SAVFF.

About SCAD

The Savannah College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit, accredited university offering more than 100 academic degree programs in 42 majors across its locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Hong Kong; Lacoste, France; and online via SCAD eLearning. SCAD enrolls more than 13,000 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 100 countries. The innovative SCAD curriculum is enhanced by advanced professional-level technology, equipment and learning resources, as well as opportunities for internships, professional certifications and collaborative projects with corporate partners. In 2015, the prestigious Red Dot Design Rankings placed SCAD in the top four universities in the Americas and Europe. Career preparation is woven into every fiber of the university, resulting in a superior alumni placement rate. In a study of Spring 2015 SCAD graduates, 98 percent were employed, pursuing further education, or both within 10 months of graduation. For more information, visit the official SCAD blog.

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